Corazón Lastimado: Healing the Wounded Heart

Berks Women in Crisis and Centro Hispano Daniel Torres invite survivors of rape and sexual assault as well as the victim advocates and counselors who work with them to create hearts for a community-wide Corazón Lastimado Project.

Corazón Lastimado, originally developed by the national advocacy organization Arte Sana, offers a powerful visual testimony of the experiences of sexual assault survivors and victim advocates – from the initial rage and pain, to the condemnation of the re-victimization that many survivors experience, to the powerful impact of victim services, to the process of survival, healing, and redemption.

Each participant is provided a ten-inch wooden heart to personalize as they choose. Participants need not be professional artists, and are encouraged to use any medium (paint, fabric, decoupage, etc.) and express themselves freely in order to depict any aspect of the abuse or the healing process. Three group heart-making sessions will be held at the BWIC center at 255 Chestnut Street in March.

By returning the heart to BWIC, the participant agrees to allow it to be part of the display. Participants can share as little or as much information about their heart with the public as they wish – they can use their name or initials, or they may remain completely anonymous. Each heart may have a title or short paragraph describing it for the viewer.

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In October 2013 BWIC and Centro worked together to launch the first phase of the project, a collection of advocate hearts. Created by BWIC and Centro staff members, the hearts were displayed at the Goggleworks and the Miller Center for the Arts in conjunction with the ACT production of RUINED.

The community-wide hearts will be displayed in public spaces in April 2014, during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

To become involved with the Corazón Lastimado: Healing the Wounded Heart survivor art exhibit, please contact Christine Gilfillan at Berks Women in Crisis at 610-370-7608, or christineg@berkswomenincrisis.org.